Shoring solution for Salalah Airport

RMD Kwikform Oman has supplied Larsen & Toubro Oman with shoring for the construction of the new Salalah International Airport, which once complete, will cater for up to 1 million passengers per year. The US$ 765 million project will involve the construction of a Passenger Terminal Building, an Air Traffic Control Tower and 8 ancillary buildings, roads and bridges.

Located in the southern region of Oman, Salalah is a popular tourist destination for both visitors from the Middle East and abroad. Improved infrastructure was needed to support the rising influx of people travelling to Salalah, and the construction of a new airport was awarded to a joint venture between Larsen & Toubro India and Galfar Engineering.

The project was divided into two segments – a. buildings and an Air Traffic Control Tower; b. roads and bridges. The Buildings section was then subcontracted to Larsen & Toubro Oman LLC, who approached RMD Kwikform to provide shoring to support construction of the terminal building and ancillary buildings.

A wide range of RMD Kwikform shoring equipment was used on the project, including 120kN Alshor Plus, 80kN Rapidshor, Aluminium Albeam and GTX timber beams. Different designs were devised for each of the buildings based on the thickness of the slab being supported.

Commenting on the project, Bellphine Campbell from RMD Kwikform said, “We had to supply shoring for a slab area of more then 40,000 m², making this a large scale project that demanded an incredibly high level of efficiency and communication between the design and construction teams. This was particularly important to meet the initial deadline for the passenger terminal building. The structure had numerous 1-metre high plinth beams, and L&T Oman didn’t have time to backfill to start shoring. We solved the problem by spanning the Alshor frames over the plinth beams, saving time for the contractor without having to use additional equipment.

The weight of the slabs and beam depth was also different in each building, so we utilised a full range of shoring equipment to provide the customer with the safest, most cost-effective solution. For example, the passenger terminal building had 1.50m deep beams, so we used a steel Rapidshor shoring system, which has a maximum tolerance of 80kN. The slab in the data centre has less beams and had 800mm deep ground beams, so we used Alshor Plus shoring, which can span over the ground beams.

In the passenger terminal building, standard braces were used to lace the Rapidshor. This varied slightly from the data centre where the Alshor Plus was laced together using lacing tubing provided by the client. Rapidshor drop beam support brackets were also used to support the deep and dense beams of the slabs. This reduced the number of components needed, reducing labour costs, erection time and increasing productivity.

Bellphine Campbell continued: “In some sections, decking was constructed using a combination of primary Albeams and secondary GTX beams, while in specific areas, only GTX beams were used. This system was made using fully reusable material, further reducing costs while maintaining and improving erection times.”

Throughout the project RMD Kwikform has provided continuous sales support, technical support and site assistance, helping L&T Oman to use its shoring system effectively and safely. The Salalah International Airport is expected to be completed by June 2013.